Is the BassConomy tanking?

[Lance Bunyon]

Bought a bass today. 5 string fretless P in surf green with a cocobolo fingerboard and sissy lines in inlaid maple.

I traced the history of the bass online and it went like this:
Namm show model, $1800 sale price.
Fire sale price $875
My price today, $750.

This bass fits a niche for me, I haven't owned any type of P in decades. If I don't like the Bartolini P pickup I'll drop in a nordy. Wife probably won't notice I have a technique of blending them in slowly.

My question is this: how are basses selling for less than half of retail in good condition? This seems to be a bad sign for the economy in general. My antique upright has been on Reverb for years!

I'm psyched about the bass, it's pretty unique yet traditional.
Is anyone worried about the BassConomy?

 

[Nashrakh]

For as long as I have been on Talkbass, there seems to have never been a good time to either sell or buy "in this economy". (Which means people have literally used that line for years now)

 

[Tanner5382]

5 string fretless basses aren’t the hottest selling basses in general. They are a niche in an already niche market. Sounds like this is a smaller builder/manufacturer, right? It’s harder to sell basses made from them in general too. Not that that has anything to do with their quality, just name recognition.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Prices of Fenders continue to rise. I think we went from a market with only a few "custom" builders to a market oversaturated with them. Unless it is a name the average consumer knows, either because the builder's name is known, or it is played by a famous bassist, it's going to be a tough sale. Also, as others have said, a five string fretless is not a bass played by many.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Maybe the price was inflated in the first place? Glad you got something great at a decent price...I appreciate a bargain. In this economy, disposable income is going the way of the dodo bird.

Riis

 

[GregC]

Here's the thing about anecdotes, they're not a good basis for broad conclusions. Someone looking only at a graph of the selling prices of Serek basses could ask, "Is the BassConomy growing faster than ever?"

Bought a bass today. 5 string fretless P in surf green with a cocobolo fingerboard and sissy lines in inlaid maple.

I traced the history of the bass online and it went like this:
Namm show model, $1800 sale price.
Fire sale price $875
My price today, $750.

This bass fits a niche for me, I haven't owned any type of P in decades. If I don't like the Bartolini P pickup I'll drop in a nordy. Wife probably won't notice I have a technique of blending them in slowly.

My question is this: how are basses selling for less than half of retail in good condition? This seems to be a bad sign for the economy in general. My antique upright has been on Reverb for years!

I'm psyched about the bass, it's pretty unique yet traditional.
Is anyone worried about the BassConomy?

 

[bucephylus]

Higher Prime Lending Rate = tighter economic conditions = less discretionary spending.

 

[bearhart74]

buy low sell high.

If you are buying with investment in mind ya gotta do your research.

 

[InhumanResource]

Bought a bass today. 5 string fretless P in surf green with a cocobolo fingerboard and sissy lines in inlaid maple.

I traced the history of the bass online and it went like this:
Namm show model, $1800 sale price.
Fire sale price $875
My price today, $750.

This bass fits a niche for me, I haven't owned any type of P in decades. If I don't like the Bartolini P pickup I'll drop in a nordy. Wife probably won't notice I have a technique of blending them in slowly.

My question is this: how are basses selling for less than half of retail in good condition? This seems to be a bad sign for the economy in general. My antique upright has been on Reverb for years!

I'm psyched about the bass, it's pretty unique yet traditional.
Is anyone worried about the BassConomy?

I don’t think it’s tanking but anything that isn’t a Fender or Musicman seems to go pretty low on the used market, with the exception of a few boutique brands and certain (almost) unobtainable brands.

 

[tb-player]

5-string fretless P is a very specific bass that will take time to sell. If a seller needs cash quickly, he’s gonna drop the price. Also inflation has put a hurting on folks’ wallets. So probably a combination of factors.

As a seller, what I’m finding is that the sales cycle is slower, so a seller has to be willing to wait. Granted, the stuff I sell is in a higher price range, so patience has always been a factor for me.

 

[skyline_01]

Bought a bass today. 5 string fretless P in surf green with a cocobolo fingerboard and sissy lines in inlaid maple.

I traced the history of the bass online and it went like this:
Namm show model, $1800 sale price.
Fire sale price $875
My price today, $750.

This bass fits a niche for me, I haven't owned any type of P in decades. If I don't like the Bartolini P pickup I'll drop in a nordy. Wife probably won't notice I have a technique of blending them in slowly.

My question is this: how are basses selling for less than half of retail in good condition? This seems to be a bad sign for the economy in general. My antique upright has been on Reverb for years!

I'm psyched about the bass, it's pretty unique yet traditional.
Is anyone worried about the BassConomy?

Congrats on a great deal! Oh... and pics or it didn't happen...

 

[Medicine Man]

I sure hope so. The prices on music gear have been stupid high, especially used gear.

 

[Michedelic]

Bought a bass today. 5 string fretless P in surf green with a cocobolo fingerboard and sissy lines in inlaid maple.

I traced the history of the bass online and it went like this:
Namm show model, $1800 sale price.
Fire sale price $875
My price today, $750.

This bass fits a niche for me, I haven't owned any type of P in decades. If I don't like the Bartolini P pickup I'll drop in a nordy. Wife probably won't notice I have a technique of blending them in slowly.

My question is this: how are basses selling for less than half of retail in good condition? This seems to be a bad sign for the economy in general. My antique upright has been on Reverb for years!

I'm psyched about the bass, it's pretty unique yet traditional.
Is anyone worried about the BassConomy?

“Sissy lines”? It sounds like you just outted yourself.

 

[Al Rivera]

I don’t think it’s tanking but anything that isn’t a Fender or Musicman seems to go pretty low on the used market, with the exception of a few boutique brands and certain (almost) unobtainable brands.

My thoughts exactly! Fender and squier basses still sell quickly if priced right.

 

[ebo]

Am I worried that the bassconomy is tanking? Nope. That would be a seller problem. I only buy, so cheaper is better. My kids can sell my gear after they pry it from my cold lifeless fingers.

 

[brianrost]

Fire sale prices happen all the time.

My first P bass was a Precision Elite bought new in the 80s for $299. If I had bought it just months earlier, it would have been about $799. What happened was that the Fullerton plant was closing as part of CBS selling Fender. Whatever was still there was blown out to dealers. Mine was one of 25 that a local dealer got in. Every single one was in transparent green. I guess that color wasn't selling well!

 

[Rib 13]

Wife probably won't notice I have a technique of blending them in slowly.

- Get empty bass case.
- Make sure wife sees you leave your home with empty bass case not knowing its empty. "Be back in a little bit, going to the music store"
- Go to town. Purchase bass and put in case
- Return home with new bass in no longer empty bass case

oldest trick in the book

My question is this: how are basses selling for less than half of retail in good condition? This seems to be a bad sign for the economy in general. My antique upright has been on Reverb for years!

To me, the market has been falsely inflated for well over a decade. For example, I love Peavey T-Series basses but I absolutely dont think a T-40 is worth $1200-$1800 especially that they were only $250 -$350 (used) a mere ~ten years ago: There isnt that much of a demand for them to warrant such a drastic price increase....Im hoping that the market is trying to right itself. IMO, of course

 

[Stranger Danger]

Bought a bass today. 5 string fretless P in surf green with a cocobolo fingerboard and sissy lines in inlaid maple.

I traced the history of the bass online and it went like this:
Namm show model, $1800 sale price.
Fire sale price $875
My price today, $750.

This bass fits a niche for me, I haven't owned any type of P in decades. If I don't like the Bartolini P pickup I'll drop in a nordy. Wife probably won't notice I have a technique of blending them in slowly.

My question is this: how are basses selling for less than half of retail in good condition? This seems to be a bad sign for the economy in general. My antique upright has been on Reverb for years!

I'm psyched about the bass, it's pretty unique yet traditional.
Is anyone worried about the BassConomy?

What brand is it? Maybe they were asking too much on the front end?

 

[EdO.]

5 string fretless basses aren’t the hottest selling basses in general. They are a niche in an already niche market... Not that that has anything to do with their quality, just name recognition.

Word. I have a really nice, really well build Cort A5 Artisan (fretted) I had listed for sale on the local CL for two solid months at the lower end of fair market value (at least IMO) and only got one low ball offer for it. Anyone who knows anything about upper end Cort's knows they're really quality instruments but without the general public having much in the way of knowledge of Cort there's just no interest, at least none locally. Guess I'll keep it just in case I ever need a fiver again.

 

[MrLenny1]

IME it's a fretless and they do not sell very well.
Prices have not tanked & used market is loaded but
not moving much.